Low expectations for G20 finding common cause on Syria

Sept. 4 - With the U.S. and Russia on opposing sides of the Syria crisis, one analyst says it is unlikely they will find common cause at G20. Deborah Lutterbeck reports.

▲ Hide Transcript

▶ View Transcript

TV AND WEB RESTRICTIONS~**NO ACCESS SWEDEN*~
World leaders arrive in Russia for the G20 summit.
They come as Syria has moved to the forefront of the international agenda -- with few signs of common cause.
Its no surprise says political analyst Konstantin Eggert.
(SOUNDBITE) (Russian) POLITICAL ANALYST KONSTANTIN EGGERT, SAYING:
"It's absolutely unrealistic to expect any practical decisions for example on the Syrian issue or on the problems of the global financial system when these 20 countries have obviously different or even conflicting interests".
Much of the focus has been on the US and Russia, who are on opposite sides of the Syrian conflict.
U.S. President Barack Obama is trying to rally Western support for military action against Syria over what Washington believes is the killing of 1,400 people in a chemical weapons attack.
Russian President Vladimir Putin wants Syria put on the G20 agenda and is unlikely to pull any punches.
(SOUNDBITE) (Russian) POLITICAL ANALYST KONSTANTIN EGGERT SAYING:
"President (Vladimir) Putin doesn't like, or I would even put it stronger, despises president (Barack) Obama, sees him as an inexperienced politician, a person too much focused on his own public relations, who has too much trust in ratings and his spin-doctors, a person who has changed his Middle East policies twice in the last two years".
The conflict will be discussed on the sidelines of the summit but it is not clear whether it will be put to the leaders for formal discussion.

Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the world’s largest international multimedia news provider reaching more than one billion people every day. Reuters provides trusted business, financial, national, and international news to professionals via Thomson Reuters desktops, the world's media organizations, and directly to consumers at Reuters.com and via Reuters TV. Learn more about Thomson Reuters products: